New York Yankees

(Jonathan Daniel/Getty) Phil Hughes didn’t just have the worst start of his career last time out, he had one of the worst starts by a Yankee this century. I guess the good news is there’s nowhere to go but up from a seven-run, two-out disaster like that. Hughes talked about getting on top of the ball and needing to better his fastball command these last four days, but the time for talking is over. Phil gets his shot at redemption against the division rival Orioles tonight, for a team that has won three straight against a team that has lost six straight. Here’s the lineup that will face fresh off the DL Miguel Gonzalez… CF Brett Gardner 2B Robinson Cano LF Vernon Wells DH Travis Hafner 1B Lyle Overbay RF Curtis Granderson 3B David Adams SS Jayson Nix C Austin Romine And on the mound is the only Yankee to earn a win during the 2007 ALDS, right-hander Phil Hughes. Summer’s coming. It’s warm and kinda humid in New York, so typical baseball weather. The game is scheduled to begin a little after 7pm ET and be seen on My9 locally and MLB Network nationally. Enjoy. Injury Updates: Kevin Youkilis (back) had three at-bats today — I assume in a simulated game — and actually took some swings. He had been just standing in the box and tracking pitches until today … Joba Chamberlain (oblique) will pitch in a minor league game tomorrow, and the team plans on having him make two appearances before activating him off the DL … Mark Teixeira (wrist) got four more at-bats in a simulated game … Ivan Nova (triceps, back) threw several innings in a simulated game or Extended Spring Training game yesterday. Post from: River Ave. Blues A New York Yankees blogGame 45: Redemption

Dave Robertson has never played baseball in Oklahoma City, and he has no real ties to the suburb of Moore, but images of yesterday’s tornado still struck home. The scenes on television all too similar to the 2011 tornado that ripped through Robertson’s hometown of Tuscaloosa, Ala. “I know first hand what it looks like,” Robertson said. “We saw it live going through there. It’s tough because you know that all the families are just lost right now. Their whole world has been rocked. It’s just really tough to see that. You watch it on TV but you don’t understand until you get on the ground and see where everyone’s houses were, it’s just a lot of concrete debris. It’s tough to see.” When the Alabama tornado hit, Robertson and his wife, Erin, formed the High Socks For Hope charity. He’s already talked to Erin about ideas for new fund raising events to begin helping in Oklahoma. “We’re preparing care packages right now to send up,” Robertson said. “We’re doing everything within our means. We’re not a large charity, it’s just me, Erin and a couple of people on the ground in Alabama. It’s really actually just three of us running it. We’re small but we’re doing what we can. We get a lot of help down there and hopefully we can move some essential items back up to Oklahoma and help out any way we can.” “… We’re still doing Alabama, Sandy and hoping to send some stuff up to Oklahoma. Right now, it’s just care packages. We’ll see where everything goes from there. Our funds are kind of depleted. We need to bring awareness back.” • Joba Chamberlain is scheduled to make a rehab appearance in Tampa tomorrow, but he won’t be activated right away. Manager Joe Girardi said he expects Chamberlain to make at least two rehab outings, making it unlikely he’ll come off the disabled list before next week. “I don’t know if it will be the weekend,” Girardi said. “I think he’ll probably do two turns, then we’ll evaluate and make sure he’s doing OK.” • Mark Teixeira got four simulated at-bats today, and Kevin Youkilis got three at-bats. Eduardo Nunez did tee and toss, and Alex Rodriguez took batting practice. “Everyone seemed to do a little more today,” Girardi said. • It’s important to think of these simulated game at-bats as something larger than typical at-bats. “They told me Tex saw 40 to 45 pitches in four ABs,” Girardi said. “I don’t imagine that’s (a real game). I don’t know how you do that.” • According to Girardi, Ivan Nova felt good today, but there’s no word on what’s next for him. • No real plan for Andy Pettitte just yet. “They’re giving him five or six days off from throwing,” Girardi said. “He’s not scheduled to throw yet.” Girardi indicated that Pettitte might simply throw a simulated game rather than going on a real rehab assignment. • Chris Stewart did more tee and toss today. Girardi said he fully expects to have Stewart back in the lineup at some point this weekend. • The Yankees could used Stewart in an emergency, but if — for some reason — the Yankees couldn’t use Stewart, Jayson Nix is the emergency third catcher. “Ich is the most flexible,” Girardi said. “He ought to get back there. He said no, though.” • Girardi said it’s ultimately up to Phil Hughes to recognize whether his fastball is working tonight, and to adjust his game plan if it’s not. Austin Romine can call pitches, but Hughes has the final say. “You can try to enforce it, but really the enforcer is standing with the baseball in his hand because they have the ability to shake,” Girardi said. “Unfortunately, catchers aren’t able to shake pitchers off sometimes. It really falls upon his shoulders. You can try to get him to do it, but sometimes guy are

Reminds me of the old joke: Would you rather have roses on the piano or tulips on your organ. I’d rather have a high-five in my hand than than Tulo on my junk.

Somewhere along the way, the national pastime has developed a healthy fascination with the world's game. Major League Baseball and soccer have found a way to not just co-exist, but to help each other thrive in a market that increasingly thinks globally instead of locally.

Major League Soccer Commissioner Don Garber announced today that a partnership of global sports powers, Manchester City Football Club and the New York Yankees, has acquired the League’s 20th expansion club. The new team will be named New York City Football Club (NYCFC) and expects to begin play in 2015. I miss the days when baseball teams only cared about focusing on baseball.

Tonight's lineup against Miguel Gonzalez has been posted. Tonight's lineup: gardner 8 cano 4 wells 7 hafner dh Overbay 3 granderson 9 Adams 5 nix 6 Romine 2 Hughes 1 — Erik Boland (@eboland11) May 21, 2013 Ichiro Suzuki is out of the lineup, Vernon Wells is back in, and Curtis Granderson is in right field, which, despite his important double in last night's win, is for the best. Ichiro is hitting .158/.158/.211 this week. Robinson Cano has three home runs and nine RBI in his last seven games. He is a lifetime .363/.412/.590 hitter at Camden Yards, so expect him to have a big series David Adams is hitting .333/.368/.611this week and got his first home run of his major league career last night. Jayson Nix and Reid Brignac should mostly stay at shortstop and let Adams play at third base regularly. The Orioles send out their lineup against Phil Hughes: #orioles lineup vs NYY: Mclouth 7 Machado 5 Markakis 9 jones DH davis 3 Wieters 2 hardy 6 Dickerson 8 Navarro 4. Gonzalez RHP — Roch Kubatko (@masnRoch) May 21, 2013 Nick Markakis is batting .326/.356/.535 against Phil Hughes in 45 plate appearances throughout his career. Nate McLouth is hitting a ridiculous .818/.846/.1.545 against him in only 13 plate appearances In other, almost non-baseball news, the Yankees have teamed up with Manchester City Football Club to acquire Major League Soccer's 20th expansion club. The team, the New York City Football Club, will not play until the 2015 season and is still looking for a permanent location to build a stadium on, though Flushing Meadows Corona Park as been previously linked to the club. Randy Levine had some interesting things to say about the deal: The New York City Football Club's games could be broadcasted on YES. Yankee Stadium could serve as an interim stadium during 2015 season. Citi Field could be another interim site as he refers to them as "partners." More From Pinstriped Bible Is CC Sabathia still an ace? Yankees' patience with Rafael DePaula is paying off Yankee Stadium hockey: NHL Rangers, Islanders, Devils to play in the Bronx

It’s Phil Hughes tonight and the schmuck needs all of our good vibes. Hang in there, Phil, dammit. (How’s that for positive?) Brett Gardner CF Robinson Cano 2B Vernon Wells RF Travis Hafner DH Lyle Overbay 1B Curtis Granderson LF David Adams 3B Jayson Nix SS Austin Romine C Never mind the longball: Let’s Go Yank-ees! [Illustration by Jaime Hernandez]

Gardner 8 Cano 4 Wells 7 Hafner 0 Overbay 3 Granderson 9 Adams 5 Nix 6 Romine 2 Hughes 1

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(Syndicated from Gotham Hub Baseball). We just passed the 17th anniversary of Mariano Rivera’s first save on May 17, 1996 when he filled in for John Wetteland and ended it by getting Garret Anderson on a double play. Since then he’s racked up 624 more, including 75 against the Orioles, which is an astounding number but also is a testament to how the Yankees have handled Baltimore over his career. Starting with the 1996 season, the Yankees are 169-95 against the Orioles and 84-45 in Baltimore. Rivera has saved 75 of those wins, converting 75 of 83 chances while facing 540 hitters. Not bad for a guy whose first appearance against the Orioles was a sixth inning grand slam to Bobby Bonilla on September 15, 1995. Not bad for someone who had a 5.79 ERA in six appearances against the Orioles in 1996 as a setup man. In his first season as closer, he faced them once. Until last year that was Baltimore’s previous winning season and that also marks the last time the Orioles won the season series. However, that changed in 1998 when he recorded five saves against the Orioles. The first one actually occurred 15 years ago today when the Yankees scored twice in the eighth and Rivera retired Brady Anderson on a lineout to end a 3-1 win. The Oriole have a .224 batting average against him and that’s actually the fifth highest among American League teams. The hitters faced on the Orioles are the most in the AL as are the 504 at-bats. The 47 runs are the most he has allowed against any team but that’s simply by facing him before 1997. So are the 11 home runs and the 11 stolen bases. However,the Orioles have a .266 on-base percentage and that’s seventh among AL teams. The .600 OPS is fourth but that’s also because he hasn’t allowed an OPS higher than .678. The 168 total bases are also the most but that only allows for more double play opportunities. And sure enough, the Orioles’ 10 double plays against him are the most. In terms of advanced numbers, the .259 BAPIP against him is in the middle of the pack. In Baltimore, his 67 appearances are the most in any opposing ballpark. His .173 batting average allowed there  is the third-best in any place he has visited more than 15 times. The Orioles have been on-base at just a .213 clip and have an OPS of .480 against him in their home games. They also have a .202 average on balls put into play against him at Camden Yards. He also has a 1.67 ERA there and his 41 saves there are his most anywhere else besides New York. So are his 73 innings and 60 strikeouts. In terms of this year, to gain a better perspective, look at when he got his 17th save in previous years. This year he has saved 17 of the 28 wins that have come in 44 games so far. Two years ago, save 17 occurred in Wrigley Field on June 18 when he gave up a solo home run to Reed Johnson before getting a double play and strikeout in the 69th game of the season. In 2010, save 17 happened at Dodger Stadium on June 25. In the 73rd game, he struck out Manny Ramirez, Matt Kemp and James Loney. In 2009, save 17 happened at Atlanta on June 25. In Game No. 72, he entered with two on and two outs and simply retired a young prospect named Diory Hernandez. In 2008, save 17 happened in Oakland on June 10. In the 65th game of the season, he gave up a two-out single to Carlos Gonzalez before getting Kurt Suzuki. In 2007, Rivera had to wait until August 5 and Game 101 to reach that number because of the combination of the team’s slow start and prolific offense. Against the Royals at Yankee Stadium, that save occurred when Mark Teahen grounded out. In 2006, save 17 also happened at Yankee Stadium but this time it was June 26 and in Game 74. It wasn’t supposed to be that night but after Atlanta scored two to create a save situation in a 5-0 game, he stranded two, watched Bobby Cox get ejected and ended it with a strikeout to Adam LaRoche. In 2005, save 17 occurred June 27 and in Game 76 at Baltimore. That night was a 6-4 win and it ended perfectly with a Larry Bigbie